


Ghost Knows Best

by Alisanne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-01
Updated: 2007-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-05 20:08:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1830712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/pseuds/Alisanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bill's brothers are up to something, but that doesn't mean it's something bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghost Knows Best

Title: Ghost Knows Best  
Author: [](http://alisanne.insanejournal.com/profile)[](http://alisanne.insanejournal.com/)**alisanne**  
Rating: PG  
Pairing: Bill Weasley/Neville Longbottom  
Summary: Bill's brothers are up to something, but that doesn't mean it's something bad.  
Word Count: 1520  
Genre: Romance  
Warnings: DH spoilerish, character death mentioned.  
A/N: Written for [](http://coffee-n-cocoa.insanejournal.com/profile)[](http://coffee-n-cocoa.insanejournal.com/)**coffee_n_cocoa** 's birthday. She requested Billville, prompt: birthday surprise. Happy birthday, sweetie!  
Beta: [](http://sevfan.insanejournal.com/profile)[**sevfan**](http://sevfan.insanejournal.com/). Thanks also to [](http://gingertart50.insanejournal.com/profile)[](http://gingertart50.insanejournal.com/)**gingertart50** , from whom I borrowed the concept of certain of the Weasley family's views on death. ;)  
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

  
~

Ghost Knows Best

~

They were up to something. Bill realized it immediately. When his brothers were nice he’d learned to be suspicious just out of self preservation, and now that one of them was dead, that hadn’t changed.

Fred had quickly established that he hadn’t lost any of his sense of fun, and after about a second of hesitation after Fred’s ghost had appeared to him, George had fallen right back into his role as elder brother and instigator, much to their mother’s chagrin.

So when George told him they had a birthday surprise for him, Bill’s instincts had kicked into high gear. Those instincts had always stood him in good stead; he wasn’t about to begin ignoring them now.

“What sort of surprise?” he asked, crossing his arms.

Fred, who was floating about the ceiling and poking his finger through, whizzed back down. “What’s the matter, bro? Don’t you trust me?”

Bill quirked an eyebrow. “You may be dead, but you’re still Fred,” he quipped.

George snickered. “Quite right you are, too,” he chimed in, clapping Bill on the back jovially. “But this time we’re on the up and up. This is really the perfect gift for you. Just what you need.”

“Mm, right.”

“Ah, but don’t take our word for it,” George said, exchanging a quick grin with Fred. “Come and see for yourself.”

While Fred raced ahead, Bill presumed to set up whatever prank they’d planned, Bill reluctantly followed George. It would be nice to get away from the crowd, he thought as they walked.

Harry and Snape, surprising no one, had finally announced their pre-bonding, and were hosting a party. At least, Harry was hosting one; Snape was scowling in the corner and clearly wishing everyone gone, but since he wasn’t actually saying that, it was practically a declaration of welcome from him.

The fact that it was also Bill’s birthday had been missed by just about everyone outside of his immediate family. Bill hadn’t been too upset about that, though. In fact, most people were still being careful around him because of his almost-werewolfness and the break-up with Fleur, so having the attention focussed on Harry and Snape suited him fine.

He almost hadn’t attended the party, but according to his mother, Harry had asked specifically if he would be there, so he’d agreed. It may have been a mistake, however. Bonding parties and weddings seemed to bring out matchmakers, and Bill wasn’t ready to begin thinking about such things yet, or possibly ever. After the third woman made an attempt to corner him, he’d finally escaped to a deserted room, where George had found him, aided by Fred, no doubt.

When they rounded a corner Bill was still deep in thought, so it was a bit of a surprise when they stopped at a brick wall.

Fred, already there, was floating in the hallway, making eerie noises and faces.

“What are you doing?” asked George.

Fred smirked. “Oi, I have to practice my ghoulish noises, don’t I?”

George shook his head. “Yeah, right. Well, here we are,” he said to Bill brightly, gesturing towards a door that Bill would have sworn had not been there a moment ago. “Happy birthday!”

Bill raised an eyebrow. “There is no way I’m going in there,” he said flatly.

George shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said, turning away. “What’s there will change your life, though.”

“What’s the matter?” Fred taunted. “Scared? I promise there’s nothing bad behind there. Maybe there’s a mystery.”

Bill cursed under his breath. They knew just how to tempt him...

“Oh for... All right,” he growled, pushing the door open.

“Brilliant,” he heard behind him, and he was shoved forward, the door closing firmly behind him. He cursed again, this time aloud.

“Bloody wankers! When I get my hands on them... Oh!”

Bill looked around. He was no longer indoors but outside, in the middle of a sizable garden. The door was no longer evident and he sighed, exasperated. One of these days the twins would go too far. He continued muttering, then, realizing he wasn’t alone, he stopped short and stared. “Hello?”

Brown eyes looked up at him and Bill’s breath caught. “Hello,” the friendly-looking young man said, and after only a moment, his name came to Bill.

Neville Longbottom. He’d been in Ron and Harry’s year at Hogwarts, and had, single-handedly, maintained the morale of the students when the place had been taken over by Voldemort’s forces, and later had led people in battle against the bastard.

“Neville, isn’t it?”

Neville smiled and nodded, standing up from his kneeling position on the ground. “That’s me. And you’re clearly a Weasley.”

Bill grinned, Neville’s open smile making him feel unaccountably cheered. “Got it in one! Bill Weasley,” he said, holding out a hand. “At your service.”

“I actually knew that,” Neville said softly, wiping his hands before offering one to Bill. “It’s your birthday.”

Bill quirked a brow. “And how did you know that?” he asked. He accepted Neville’s hand, blinking at the spark that seemed to shoot between them and wondering if he was going mad. He’d never felt this with anyone, not even Fleur.

“I heard your mum talking about it,” Neville confessed. “I was in the pre-bonding party but I hate crowded rooms, so I came out here. I knew their Puffapod plants needed some pruning, and as I was looking around I decided the entire garden could use some work, so I’m doing that. It’ll be my gift to them.”

“That’s a generous gift,” Bill said. Then, surprising himself, he said, “May I help you?”

Neville’s eyebrows went up. “Why would you want to get your hands and robes dirty?” he asked.

Bill grinned and shrugged. “Why not? I’d rather stay outside. Plus, I hate crowds, too, and I like the company here.”

Neville blushed and Bill pretended not to notice as he began rolling up his sleeves. They worked side by side, and when their hands occasionally brushed together, Bill couldn’t help but look for a reaction from Neville. They talked about their lives, and Bill found himself opening up to Neville in a way he hadn’t to anyone else in a long time. Bill hadn’t spent such an enjoyable afternoon in ages, and he kept thinking how to prolong it.

“I bet this isn’t as exciting as curse breaking,” Neville said after a bit of silence, distracting Bill from his thoughts.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Bill replied, smiling. “It has its appeal.” He was rewarded by another of those delicious blushes that he was beginning to savour.

When it was dusk, they stopped working, standing back to inspect their handiwork.

“So what brought you out here in the first place?” Neville asked as they started back towards the house.

Bill smiled. “My family knows me too well,” he said. “I think they wanted to give me a peaceful day as my birthday surprise. Well, that in addition to an even more precious gift.”

Neville nodded, looking momentarily puzzled but accepting Bill’s statement at face value. “You’re lucky to have such a large family,” he said a bit wistfully.

“Perhaps you’ll have a big family, too, one day,” Bill said, deliberately bumping shoulders with Neville.

Neville shrugged. “I don’t really...” Taking a deep breath, he stopped and closed his eyes, blurting out, “Idon’tlikegirlssoIdoubtit.”

Bill only smiled brighter. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” he murmured. “The right man can probably give you a big family, too.”

“You think so?”

Bill took Neville’s hand, heartened when he didn’t pull away. “I know so,” he whispered.

Neville smiled. “Thank you. And happy birthday. I have a bit of a surprise for you, actually,” he said, pulling something tiny out of his robes. When Neville enlarged it, Bill saw it was an orchid.

“I wasn’t sure I’d have a chance to give it to you, or that you would want it, but it reminds me of you. It’s a wild orchid, and it’s free and beautiful, just like you.”

Bill didn’t say a word, he just pulled Neville towards him and did what he’d wanted to do since first spotting him kneeling in the dirt earlier that day. He slanted his lips over Neville’s and kissed him soundly.

~

“Aha! Love strikes again,” Fred crowed.

George nodded. “Aye, that it does,” he said. As they continued to watch from the window, it looked as if the two men weren’t about to separate any time soon.

“Right, now that he’s settled, who’s next?” Fred asked, floating on his back as he wriggled his fingers in front of his face.

“Well, it’s Charlie’s birthday next,” George said, a wicked grin on his face.

Fred perked up. “Right, well, how about that Lovegood girl? She seems the right sort for him...”

As they wandered away, Molly stepped out of the shadows and glanced out the window. She smiled, pleased that Bill would finally be happy. With a sigh, she turned away, following the laughter, one human, the other ghostly. She rolled her eyes then giggled softly. At least her boys were doing something useful with their life and afterlife.

~


End file.
